Sorting through the information flood for usable knowledge for our farm

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Consumption ideas...

Worth pondering. [It has nothing to do with her easy-to-look-at-ness]

I have been looking for indications of how we might start rebuilding trust to make our culture and economy work better. Perhaps, as the speaker suggests, it will be by bypassing many of our current institutions with peer-to-peer connections.

3 comments:

Anonymous
said...

This may be part of our solution too the "energy crisis"...recent study in Toronto ,On. showed that 40% of food ,be it from institutions,restaurants,homes ,schools,ect. was actually never consumed but wasted-regards-kevin

Can you name the things on your farm that you would be willing to rent or buy after someone else had the first use of it? Not asking this as a negative. Just asking what kind of things would qualify for the shared use model.

Just off the top of my head:- two-year old computers, etc. I buy new ones like other guys buy combines.- slightly obsolete auto-steer stuff- job specific tools like wide-belt sander- suits - construction/excavation equipment for farm use (I'd like to own timeshare Gradall, for instance)

All of this stuff is also rental/craigslist/ebay/goodwill fodder and we do use those, but a better system (or more interest by me) could improve the efficiency.

Your point is well taken - these aren't convincing examples, but maybe it's one of those ideas that we learn how to use once we got it.

Speaking

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About Me

I am a sixth-generation farmer who hold a degree in Chemical Engineering, a minor in Economics, and served as a nuclear engineer from 1970-75.
Jan, Aaron and I farm 2100 acres near Chrisman, IL. Aaron joined our farm operation in 2008.
I have written humor and commentary for Farm Journal and Top Producer for 20 years. I was the host of US Farm Report from 2005 to 2014, and now serve as Commentator.
I speak often to farm and agribusiness groups on topics from risk analysis to professional development.

About Incoming

Incoming is a collection of current thoughts on the nature of the profession of farming from the perspective of a farmer/writer (see full bio here).

It will soon become obvious to readers I lean to the middle, specifically toward pragmatic libertarianism: preserving individual liberty and responsibility. Another strong influence is my education as an engineer. Now throw in 45 years as a husband, 41 as father, and 30 as a choir director. Not to mention a life of farming.

As for the humor... what can I say? Stuff just strikes me as funny. A lot of stuff, actually.

The Internet has filled a hole in my life I never knew existed. These posts are brief summaries of what I am finding and how I feel it will affect my (our) world.

The opinions are my very own. It was not easy to think them up, and nobody else can be blamed for them. In fact, most people around me brace themselves when I start typing or open my mouth.

I welcome comments. I am exceptionally difficult to offend, and have learned to try to rectify mistakes or errors in judgment as rapidly as possible. And I have had plenty of practice.

Thank you for reading.

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